


Bad Rain

by dracox_serdriel



Series: Season 10 Fan Fiction [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Season/Series 10, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Apothecary, Case Fic, EDA - Freeform, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Established Sam Winchester/Dakota 'Dodge' Gage, F/M, FBI Case Clash, Gen, It all comes down to bone, Kidnapping, M/M, Magic and Medicine don't mix, Men of Letters Bunker, Monster mash, Monster of the Week, Naga, Talim Orm Serum, The Purge, Work In Progress, on the lam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-04-10 02:02:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4372883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracox_serdriel/pseuds/dracox_serdriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel and Dean run into trouble while searching for Sam and Dodge, namely her partner, FBI Special Agent Marie Acevedo. The members of the EDA use Sam and Dodge in their tug-o-war over The Purge with disastrous results.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Moon

Marie Acevedo owed Dakota 'Dodge' Gage her life several times over. Anyone who worked together long enough could rack up that kind of debt, but she'd never had a partner quite like Dodge. She was an eccentric workaholic who always backed those she cared about, even on a bad day at Black Rock.

So when she didn't show up, Marie called repeatedly, and when her tenth call was sent to voicemail, she went looking. She traced her rental car to a shopping mall parking lot, and after a bit of rummaging, she found a burner phone, which lead her the Old Sail Motel, room 6C, just a few blocks away.

As she approached the door, she heard two men arguing inside.

"I don't know, but we need to figure it out," said the first. 

"Didn't Sam tell you where he was going? How can we work a case with him and Dodge without the appropriate information?" asked the second.

"He said they'd be here!"

Marie had heard enough. She drew her weapon and broke down the door with her shoulder, crashing in and shouting, "FBI! Show me your hands!"

As she busted in, she caught a glimpse of the two men. They were both white and in their thirties, approximately the same height, with dark hair. One had on an old leather jacket and jeans. The other's clothes were obscured by his long trench coat.

Yet, by the time her gun was out in front of her, both had vanished.

Marie blinked several times, convinced it was a trick of the light. She had heard them argue and seen them clearly as the door swung off its hinges. So where the hell were they?

She scoured the rest of the room, and she found Dodge's overnight bag but not her computer or briefcase. There were no notes, and the writing pad remained untouched.

The most disturbing thing, however, was how spotless the room was. Someone had scrubbed this place within an inch of its life, obliterating any forensic evidence, save for a single, overlooked glob of a goopy residue in the bathroom. At first glance it seemed to be liquid soap, but when she examined it closely, she saw it contained particles of something else, possibly skin. There wasn't enough for thorough lab testing, but she collected it with her sample kit anyway. 

She distinctly heard the two men mention the names Dodge and Sam, which was likely was Dodge's Sampson. It sounded like they were looking for her partner, too.

She needed to figure out who these men were, and quickly.

* * *

**One day earlier...** Dean and Cas activated the hunter grapevine to shake out information on Talim Orm Serum and the EDA. Neither Charlie nor Garth had anything for them right off the bat, so Dean resigned himself to sleuthing on the web. 

"None of the earth-bound angels knew anything about this EDA, and nothing more about Talim Orm than they've already said: apothecary who caters to monsters," Cas said. "Nathaniel was reluctant to speak with me. He apparently received a pardon from Heaven."

"A pardon?" Dean asked. "What did good old Nate do to get put on Heaven's naughty list in the first place?"

"Nathaniel escaped Naomi, hid from her agents, and helped you and your brother infiltrate Heaven to rescue me."

"So they gave Nate a pass on helping us," Dean said. "But you're still a pariah?"

"My estrangement from Heaven goes much deeper than any other angel's."

"One problem at a time. I've got squat from the internet, except for a few calendar entries for EDA support meetings, where nobody bothered posting a description or what EDA stands for. And all I've got on the Talim Orm Serum is that it's connected to the EDA. Looks like it was distributed there. Something tells me some asshat with a chemistry set got his hands on some Hoodoo or vamp-blood or something supernatural and thought he could whip up a magic cure for addiction."

"That's a reasonable theory," Cas said. "I can sense powerful pharmaceutical components, blood from some kind of monster, and spirit energy. Why do you think this has to do with addiction?"

Dean had meant his suggestion as a joke, but the angel clearly missed the humor. To save face, Dean quickly invented a reply. 

"Uh, well, support groups that end in 'A' usually focus on stuff like that. AA for alcoholic anonymous. NA for narcotics anonymous. EDA stands for something-anonymous. Probably."

"If he doesn't know what kind of addiction is supported, how does Sam intend to get into a meeting? Don't they verify new members?" 

"The benefit of the group being anonymous is that anyone can show up. No need for paperwork, doctor's referral, or a membership card. They're pretty easy to infiltrate."

Dean's phone buzzed with a new text message.

> FROM: KELVIN COLT  
> EDA = Eve's Descendants Anonymous  
> NEVER attend meeting without monster assist 

"Oh, shit," the hunter said. "We gotta warn Sammy."

* * *

Sam did his best, but the restraints pinned him down. From the looks of it, Dodge wasn't doing any better. The younger Winchester hadn't dealt with a naga before. Crosby was not only unduly calm, but he also possessed some kind of control over the other monsters, especially the werewolf Sharvari. That didn't bode well.

The naga pulled the werewolf aside, away from Sam and Dodge, but not far enough to be out of earshot. 

"Go get Sliver," he instructed. "I think he'll be a nice bow on our care package for our hunter guests."

Sharvari transformed, wrapping her humanity with wolfishly grotesque characteristics, and ran so quickly that she blurred.

"What do you want?" Sam asked.

"You are the ones putting your noses in our business," Crosby replied. "We wanted to be left alone, but you won't do that, will you?"

"You could've killed us by now," Dodge said. "You don't seem the kind to play with your food, which means we're alive because you want us alive."

The naga grimaced as he replied, "'Want' is a strong word. Any humans trying to intrude on the EDA will pay for it dearly. Maybe hunters like you haven't heard or maybe you're not clear on the subject, so I'm gonna send a crystal-clear message with the two of you."

CRACK! 

Dodge collapsed, unconscious as Crosby's long, lizard-like tail whipped across her head. Before Sam could respond, a sharp pain blossomed across the back of his skull, and blackness overtook him.


	2. Veins

Dean's phone rang, echoing throughout the Men of Letters War Room. He balked when he saw the incoming call was from 'UNDETERMINED.' 

"You got me," Dean answered the phone.

"Hey bitches, you sound craptastic," Charlie replied. 

"Charlie?" he asked. "Where you calling from?

"Same line, new phone. Military-grade encryption."

"Why? No, scratch that, where'd you get it?"

"Remember that guy you dropped off at the hospital after the Amazon frenzy?" Charlie asked.

"Vaguely."

"Well, he's the one who helped me hack the droids. We've kinda become hunter buds."

"Hunter buds?"

"Those Amazons slaughtered people he served with," she replied. "His friends, his family. You didn't think he'd just let it go, did you?"

"No, but, be careful. Training a new hunter isn't all blood, guts, and stolen military equipment."

"You and Sam roped me in. How hard could it be?"

"I'm serious, Charlie. If he's giving government secrets to a hacker, he's putting his head on a chopping block."

"You mean like how Dodge and Sam are working together?"

The elder Winchester cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Right, uh, so did you find anything on this Talim Orm crap?"

"Hell yeah. First, people just call it The Serum. Second, the guy who makes it is super-stealth. Completely off the grid and old-school. No electronic footprints. Sales are done in person via distributors. If we wanna get this guy, we're gonna need a full-on sting."

"A sting?"

"Yeah, I've got most of it worked out, except we'll need a legit monster to be in on it, so I thought maybe Benny - "

Dean interrupted, "Whoa, whoa, Charlie, slow down. So far all we know about this dude is that he gives herbs to monsters. He's not the one dropping bodies in New Jersey. We gotta put him on the back burner for now."

"Fair enough, but don't think this is the end of my sting operation."

"Trust me, I wouldn't miss it, but right now what I really need is a line on Sammy."

"He's missing?"

"He hasn't answered a call in hours. Could be nothing - "

Charlie interrupted, "You mean like he and Dodge are too busy to answer the phone."

"That's what I'm hoping, but the last thing he said was that they were looking into the EDA. So, could you, I dunno, load up a GPS thing on him?"

"His phone must be off, because it's not pinging," she replied. "And the GPS on his truck hasn't moved in hours. Looks like it's parked at a motel. Sending that address now. Gimme a few hours, I'll find out where he's been for the past two days."

"I thought you said his phone was off?"

"But his computer sure isn't," she replied.

* * *

Sam's head ached like it was stuck in a vice. The pain was so acute that he instinctively covered his still-closed eyes with the palms of his hands, and it took him a minute after that to realize that he could freely move his arms, which meant he was no longer bound to the chair. 

His eyes snapped open. 

"What the hell?" 

"We've been spending too much time together," Dodge mumbled. "Said the exact same thing not two minutes ago."

Dodge was behind the wheel of her rental car with Sam in the passenger seat. In the back, an unconscious man was bound with heavy steel chains.

"He's alive," Dodge said. "My head feels like its gonna fall off, but I had enough sense to check for a pulse. You okay?"

"Uh, yeah, sure," he replied. 

"I ask because you haven't really moved."

"I just did," he replied doggedly. "I'm fine."

"He must've knocked you harder than me," she said. "Let me check you out."

"No, it's - "

But it was too late. Dodge came dangerously close to him and took his head in her hands, slowly examining his face. Something about her closeness took the words right out of his mouth, so he sat breathlessly staring at her. She checked his hairline and the back of his head, putting as little pressure as possible on his skin as she pushed his hair out of the way.

Pain hit him so hard he gagged.

"That's gonna need some ice, and probably an x-ray to be sure it's not fractured," she said softly. "You could be concussed."

"Don't worry, Cas can heal pretty much anything," Sam said, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. He added, "Who is our new passenger?"

"Dunno, he was like that when I woke up," she replied. "My guess is he's another hunter."

"Seems like they're more afraid of him than us," Sam commented. "Did they really just let us go?"

"Either that, or we sleep-fought our way out," she said. "I think we should get out of here, take a look at that guy, see what he knows. The motel should be safe enough."

Sam bit his lip but nodded.

"Seat belt," she said.

"What about him?"

"He's practically bolted in."

Sam clicked on his safety belt and smiled, but it didn't last long. Crosby had said that he was going to send a message with Sam and Dodge. A message to warn all hunters to stay away from the EDA. So why were they still alive? His heart raced as the ideas started coming to him.

What if Sharvari had bitten them? It would only take a nip, and both he and Dodge would be wolfed out with no possible cure. What happened with a naga bite? Sam read that they were extremely venomous, but the lore wasn't always right about these things. Was it similar to a werewolf bite? How many other monsters had been lurking around? Maybe Crosby had a wraith poison them, or he could've had conworms crawl into their ears. Hell, Crosby could've recruited a shifter to impersonate Dodge. 

As the endless possibilities overwhelmed him, Sam changed tactics and began to eliminate things. If he were a vampire, his senses would've overwhelmed him by now. Wraith poison would make him paranoid. Or well, _more_ paranoid. He couldn't think of the symptoms of becoming a skinwalker, a werewolf (before the full moon), an arachne, or a Jefferson Starship, and, worse, he knew that there were dozens, maybe even hundreds, of other monsters that could turn humans. 

"Whatever it is you're thinking, spill," Dodge said. 

"Huh?"

"The look on your face makes it pretty clear that whatever you're thinking isn't good."

"Right, it's just..." Sam hesitated to continue. "Let's get back to the motel. I'll grab what we need from my truck and explain it all then."

"What we need for what?" she asked.

"To test ourselves," Sam replied.

* * *

Dean received a text from Sam just as he and Cas pulled up to one of the addresses Charlie had gotten from Sam's computer.

> FROM: BRO  
> EDA = monsters. Got out okay. Will update you later.

"Of course we get this now, instead of eight hours ago," Dean muttered. "Cas?"

"You need to see this."

Dean joined the angel inside, where he found a basic meeting room set up with chairs, tables, and a podium.

"See what, Cas?" he asked.

"You can't _see_ it, exactly, but this room has energy signatures for dozens of monsters. Some even I don't recognize."

"You mean like six vampires, five werewolves, and a skinwalker?" 

Castiel shook his head, no. "I mean dozens of different species of monster, Dean."

"Very not good," he said. "Anything in particular?"

"In terms of numbers, there were mostly skinwalkers, vampires, and werewolves." 

"What else was here last night?" 

He took time between each answer, as if confirming each one before speaking. 

Cas replied, "Ghoul. Siren. Hakutaku. Kitsune. Phoenix. Piasa. Crocotta. Naga. Kamaitachi. Vetala. Leviathan. Oni. Burrokeet. Lamia. Shifter. Tanuki. Kishi. Kumiho. Onikuma. Liderc. Bakeneko. Shunka warakin. Jackalope."

"Stop, stop," Dean interrupted. "At some point you just started making stuff up. Shunka warakin pushed it, but Jackalope? Really?"

"They can be benevolent, but when they turn violent they kill everyone around them," Cas said with complete conviction. "I assure you, I would never claim one was here unless I had reason to believe it was."

"A Jackalope is a rabbit with horns on its head."

"That is what folklore has made them to be, hundreds of years after their assumed extinction. They are dangerous warriors and tend to be solitary."

"You're serious?" Dean asked. "Because I've only dealt with half of the crap you just said. The rest I only know about trying to find stuff in the Men of Letters library."

"Some of these creatures I haven't seen in centuries," Cas continued. "And yet they all gathered here."

"Kelvin Colt said this is Eve's Descendants Anonymous. You think this is part of something bigger?"

"At the very least, monsters are gathering together. Regardless of their intentions, I believe concern is in order."

* * *

He was in a bathroom.

Sliver had no idea what was going on, but he knew that someone had put him in a bathroom. What reason would anyone have for that, other than to dispose of his body? Panic began in earnest.

The chains were so heavy that they bruised him, and he could barely move, let along break free. He needed to do something ridiculous. Something drastic. Something, anything, right now!

Sliver took a deep breath and pushed. He sucked in the scream that bubbled up in his chest as his skin began to liquefy and slide off. He had learned to control the reaction but never the pain. When trying to describe the transformation to others, all he come up with was that it was like having sunburn so deep that the skin buckled, melted, and peeled. The process burned, ached, ripped, and itched.

Usually Sliver resented the sloppy, slippery mess he became mid-transformation, but it was just what he needed to slip the chains. He imagined himself in a smaller body, directing the transformation to suit his needs. Once he freed his arms, he'd make his escape.

Then everything went wrong, all he could do was howl in pain and fury. His body ached for - no, demanded - hearts and blood, and the sound of two human heartbeats nearby became deafening. At the same time, his insides felt as if a fire slowly consumed them. His muscles first contracted wildly and of their own accord, then became sore, strained, and atrophied.

His skin wouldn't molt; instead, the deliquesced pieces began to reabsorb, returning him to his previous shape. But the skin wouldn't thicken. It remained dangerously thin and light, leaving every artery and vein visible through the barely pigmented covering. The blood vessels stood out all the more because they had taken on deep, dark colors: the arties, an almost-black red, and the veins, a midnight blue.

The bloodlust subsided, and his fingers and toes turned clawed. They refused to retract. 

And his chains weren't any looser.

"Holy shit," someone said. 

Sliver looked up and saw a woman in the doorway. She was human, by the smell of her. Another human joined her immediately. Their confusion was palpable.

"Sam, what the hell is happening?" the woman asked.

"He's a shifter," the man replied.

"Name's Sliver," Sliver said as pleasantly as he could manage. "And as you can see, I'm in a bit of a bind. Any chance you came to rescue me?"

From the looks on their faces, tell they hadn't.

* * *

"They've covered their tracks," Castiel said. "I'm afraid I can't follow them. Perhaps we should speak with your brother, see what he has."

"He's not picking up, and I don't want to interrupt," Dean said.

"Interrupt? How can we interrupt when we're working the same case as they are?"

"Uh, Cas, Sam is with his girlfriend. Alone. At a motel."

"None of this is new information."

"What I'm saying is, they might not be working on the case right now."

Cas took a moment before he replied. "You're suggesting they may be engaged in sexual activities."

"Yeah, Cas, that's what I mean. You know, you were getting better with innuendo - "

The angel became distracted. He could hear it, just barely, the beginning of a prayer.

"Hush, I'm trying to listen," Cas interrupted Dean.

Misunderstanding the angel, Dean pulled a handgun out and cased their immediate area, but he remained quiet, even when he found no signs of danger.

_Castiel? Cas? It's me, Kevin Tran. You said you can always hear me, which is good because I can't find my cell phone. I've been getting these ideas... thoughts, dreams, messages, whatever you want to call them. I'm pretty sure they're not just inspiration or whatever. I think Metatron is contacting me, like a reverse prayer or something. I'm pretty sure it's Metatron because when I called him on the phone he didn't deny it. Come to think of it, it was right after I called him that my phone went missing..._

_Not important, right. Keep on track, Kevin. Listen, Metatron said that this Talim Orm guy created a drug or serum for monsters. The Serum was the miracle every monster wants. And, in case you're wondering, no, Metatron didn't elaborate on what he meant by that. A few months later, a new batch of serum was released under a different name. I don't know what it was supposed to be called, but eventually everyone wound up calling it The Purge because anyone who takes it dies. Something about a new formula for this serum, I'm not too clear on that._

_Actually, I don't think anyone really knows what happened, but The Serum went from monster miracle cure to horrible-death-poison overnight. Metatron told me all this because even the monsters are scared. That's what he said. Monsters are scared. The creatures with superpowers and a taste for human blood or body parts are scared. So I thought you should know right away. Be careful. Okay? And call my mom to let her know you got the message. Best I can do until I find my phone._

The angel absorbed this information slowly, and Dean couldn't help but notice his tension, confusion, and anger. 

"Cas?"

"Kevin Tran just contacted me."

"Is he okay?"

"The Prophet is fine, but he had a message from Metatron about Talim Orm and The Serum."

"What'd he say?"

"He said The Serum went from cure to poison," the angel replied. "And we should ask Sam if he has encountered the name 'The Purge' on this case - "

"Hang on," Dean interrupted. "What do you mean the Serum is a cure?"

"Was a cure," Cas corrected.

"For what?"

"THE cure," the angel repeated with emphasis. He added, "It makes them human, Dean."


	3. In the Madness

Sam didn't know what to make of Sliver. He seemed genuinely scared and confused about what was happening to him, but on the other hand, he was a shifter with fangs and claws that wouldn't recede. If a naga and a werewolf thought it safest to chain him, who was he to argue?

He pulled Sliver into the main room while Dodge bleached the bathroom to remove any sign of the supernatural, like sloughed shifter skin and blue-and-black blood. Since it was the only room without windows, they opted to keep Sliver there after covering the floor with towels. 

"I can tell you don't want to kill me," Sliver said suddenly. "If you were the kind of hunters to kill any monster you'd meet, you would've put a silver bullet in my heart already."

"Would that even work on you anymore?" Sam asked. 

"I don't know," Sliver replied. 

"You want us to help you? Then help us," Dodge said. "Start by telling us why your own people chained you up."

"Everyone on The Serum goes through a period of transition. Depends on what you are and how long you've been that way, but it's a pretty rough six weeks, especially the last week. At that point, everyone needs to be chained up."

"Or what?" Sam asked.

"One of the side effects is acute transformation attacks," Sliver replied. "They're random and unpredictable and... they're bad."

"Elaborate on 'bad,'" Dodge ordered.

"It's a combination of your first full moon as a werewolf and the transition period of a vampire," he replied.

"So you have an insatiable bloodlust, amplified senses, and no control over who you attack or how much you feed," Sam summarized. 

Sliver seemed surprised that the hunter knew what being a monster felt like.

"Let me guess, you black out and can't remember it," Sam added.

"Yes and no. Yes, I blacked out during, no conscious choice in what I was doing, but I remembered everything later," he replied. "But it's like an out-of-body experience, like you're watching yourself do all these things. They chained me up because there wasn't anyone around to watch me, and one of the rules is no violence, no turning, no media."

Dodge asked, "Rules? Rules for what?"

Sliver bit his lip and shook his head.

"The deal was you talk and we help you," Sam said. "What rules?"

"I can't... I can tell you all about me and The Serum, but I can't talk about the EDA. It's... we can't do it."

The shifter closed his eyes and shook his head. Then he started rocking back and forth, as if the movement could prevent the conversation from continuing.

Sam wanted to escalate to less polite means of acquiring information, but Dodge pulled him into the next room. 

"We gotta move this guy," she said.

"What?"

"He just told us he can turn into a vamp-wolf-shifter at any moment with a guarantee of him being violent."

"I've got silver bullets."

Dodge shook her head. "Maybe that's what Crosby wanted. He wanted to stick us with this guy because he's gonna be just like the other five victims."

"Dead?" Sam asked.

"If we shoot him, we've got a body on our hands that just happens to share similarities with the other homicide victims. Crosby wants to keep hunters away from the EDA. Tell me a better plan than implicating us in the serial homicides."

"Or maybe he left Sliver with us so we'd think he was another hunter. We unchain him, and the guy kills us both when he... transforms, or whatever."

"I think it's safe to say that whatever is going on is bigger than one shifter, and if we're forced to kill him, we may never get another chance to figure this out," she replied.

"Dodge, this guy basically told us he's a frenzied killing machine. If putting him down is the only way to stop him, we put him down."

"I'm not disagreeing. I'm saying we to get him away from innocent people, so if he does get out, there's no one to hurt. That, and my partner keeps calling me. If she hasn't already started looking for me, she will soon. It won't take her long to find this place."

Sam considered the situation. Dodge was right, there was no arguing with that, but where could they take him? Best case scenario would be somewhere with medical or veterinary resources. Then they might be able to put him down with heavy-duty tranquilizers instead of a bullet.

"Okay, you're right," he said. "I'm gonna call Dr. Robert. He's one of my dad's old hunter contacts. He might know a doctor or someone who can help us. We should take my truck... plenty of room for Sliver under the cap."

* * *

Dean didn't believe that monsters could become human again, and he certainly didn't believe that The Serum could do it. Dean didn't even believe that that monsters wanted to be cured, yet Cas insisted that a faction of Eve's descendants had been after a cure for thousands of years.

These thoughts ran through Dean's head as he and Cas strolled into the FBI morgue with stolen ID cards and uniforms. The security guard waved them in, but she gawked as they passed by her desk.

"Hang on, you're not Steve," she said to Dean.

Cas touched her forehead, and she immediately fell asleep. They carried her back to her post and continued into the building, straight into the morgue proper. 

"I don't hear anyone else nearby, but we don't have more than an hour," the angel said.

They moved quickly and quietly, taking samples from each victim, including blood, hair, skin, and one tooth. Cas insisted on a bit of muscle tissue, which Dean harvested using a method he learned on YouTube.

It certainly took longer than an hour. They had just finished with Simon Berkowitz, the third victim, when an older man pushed into the lab.

"You can't be in here," Dean said with the air of authority.

"This is my morgue!" the man protested.

"It's your morgue at six a.m. Is it six a.m.?" Dean asked.

"No, it's five-oh-six, but - "

Dean interrupted, "No buts. This morgue is mine for another fifty-four minutes!"

The old man stared at Dean for a solid minute before turning around and marching out the door. "You have until I finish my coffee!" he shouted over his shoulder. 

"Impressive," Cas said. "We need to leave."

They boxed up everything and proceeded to the back exit. When a lab tech spotted them, he followed, as if they didn't have enough annoying crap to deal with right now.

"Hey! You two! You can't take materials without the right paperwork!" the lab tech barked.

Dean didn't know what the best move was here. Should he hand off the bag and let Cas take it out while he held the prying co-worker up? Or should Cas touch his forehead and put him to sleep?

Before he could decide, the angel dragged him out the door by his collar and pulled him into kiss. Dean reciprocated, and soon the two men were making out heavily in the alley that ran behind the building.

When the nosy co-worker burst into the alley, indignant and angry, he didn't shout or scream. Instead, he stood inside, flabbergasted and, frankly, shocked at what he saw.

"I, uh, you... just give me your paperwork when you're done!" he said before slamming the door shut.

"Quick thinking," Dean said when Cas stepped away.

"I saw it in various movies. It's always highly effective," Cas replied. 

The two circled back to the Impala with their spoils.

"I know Sam texted me last night," Dean said, "but he hasn't replied or picked up since. We should really check on him. You still have the address for that motel?"

Castiel nodded.

* * *

Dr. Roberts had come through with a name: Natalie Young. She worked as a veterinarian for money, but she had a supernatural practice on the side. 

The downside was that her practice was nearly six hours away. They left immediately, thankful that it was the dead of night, but it was almost seven now. The sun was coming out.

Sam had taken a minor detour and stolen animal tranquilizers from a vet clinic so that they could keep Sliver out cold for the ride. Unfortunately, he doled out the last dose over an hour ago, and from the sound of it, the shifter was waking up.

"Hey, chill out," Dodge said through the cap's window. "Sliver, calm down!"

"Where are you taking me?"

"To a doctor," Dodge replied. "A woman who might be able to help you."

Sliver stopped moving around so much.

"You mean it? You're really trying to help me?" he asked.

"Yeah, we are. Even though you're not telling us anything," Sam replied.

"I can't tell you about the EDA," Sliver said. "But I can tell you about The Serum."

"Go on," Dodge said.

The shifter moved so he was sitting right behind the window. 

"My sister took The Serum about a year ago," he began. "She was cured."

"Cured?" Sam asked. "Of what?"

"Of our heritage. Of being a monster. I thought she was nuts, and I was there with her through six weeks of hell, but after that, she was so... human."

"Human?" Dodge repeated. "You want to become human?"

Sliver said, "You don't get it. You can't get it. Being a shifter doesn't mean you can transform into other people, it means you **have to** transform into other people. If we don't imitate other people, we look like melted Barbie dolls. No features, no scars, no characteristics of our own. If you want to be a person, to look human, you have to constantly be aware of your skin. All I want is an identity, a face of my own. With my own scars and sun damage and every other little thing that you guys get just for being born right. You know what happens to shifters like me and my sister who try to stay in one shape for more than a few days? We shed in our sleep. For no reason! It's like our bodies are designed to keep us as nobody. Try keeping your 'ability' secret after waking up with no face and your bed covered in sloughed skin."

"When you say your sister was cured, you mean she's human now?" Sam asked.

"Not completely," Sliver replied. "She's still got some supernatural in her, but she hasn't shed her skin all year. No violent outbursts, no blood lust. Nothing."

"But not really cured," Sam said.

"Cured enough," Sliver said.

"Why did you wait so long to take it yourself if you sister was cured a year ago?" Dodge asked.

"It was expensive. Most people couldn't afford it. I started saving up, but it would've taken me years to get that kind of money. Then this program started, they said that they'd supplement payment for The Serum if you'd do these extra medical tests. Said they were refining the formula, trying to cut back on the transition period. All I needed to do was once daily medical testing, and I got the cure for less than a thousand dollars."

He took a moment before continuing. "Everything seemed fine. I went through all the same things my sister did, anyway. Then I caught wind of people dying. I heard that this serum we got was different from the original, that this whole thing was an experiment for a new formula. I don't know if it's true, but everyone that I knew who took this new formula is dead. That's why we call it The Purge."

"If this serum worked, why bother with a new formula?" Dodge asked. "Seems risky."

"Nobody knows. Some say this new serum isn't even from the same guy, that a hunter or witch with a vendetta hijacked the whole operation for revenge. Other people think that the serum is only marketed as a cure, but it's actually some kind of mad scientist trying to make a super race. What can I say? Paranoia is easy when everyone you know is dying."

* * *

The drive continued in silence for another hour. Dodge flipped through the radio stations, but they were all shoddy. She switched to her phone, but even the wireless and cell signals were spotty in this area. 

Finally, they arrived at a converted farmhouse that served as Young's Animal Clinic. Natalie had instructed them to park behind the extension.

For the umpteenth time, Sam tried to call Dean to update him, but the call wouldn't go through.

"I should've called him at our last pit stop," he griped.

"No phones," a young woman said abruptly.

Sam nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn't noticed anyone approach the car.

"I'm Natalie Young," she continued. "Where is the patient?"

"In the back," Dodge replied. 

Sliver cooperated, willingly following Natalie into the clinic with the two hunters bringing up the rear. They were led into a loft-like room with a high ceiling and an eclectic collection of occult and medical equipment. Natalie directed Sliver to a cot.

"You've taken The Purge?" Natalie asked abruptly.

"Yeah, I am," Sliver replied.

"How long?" she followed up.

"Six weeks."

"When did you discontinue it?"

Sliver shook his head when he said, "Six days ago."

Natalie looked impressed. "How did you survive so long? Most I've seen died one or two days after their last dose."

"Guess I'm just lucky." 

Then he screamed, and his body began to writhe. 

"You two, hold him down!" Natalie yelled.

After several uncomfortable minutes, Sliver became still and silent. Soon after, he closed his eyes and drifted off to unconsciousness. 

"You are Sam?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah, thank you for helping us," he replied. "This is Dodge."

"It's good you brought him. He's not the first I've seen, but I must tell you, the others that were brought to me all died. Nothing I did seemed to help." 

"Have you learned anything about what's happening to him?" Sam asked. "Anything at all?"

"I know that The Purge only took individuals in the prime of health. They were all forced to go off the grid, if they weren't already, which isolated anyone who had a support system. By the time they realized they were in trouble, they had nowhere to turn. As far as I can tell, all the victims lived in New Jersey. And they all died the same exact way."

"So, you know what we know," Dodge said.

"I also know several treatments that failed," Natalie said. "Your friend will be out for at least an hour. That should give us time to discuss the options, providing he lives that long."


	4. Streaming Life

**Now**. Castiel and Dean inspected the motel room. Dodge had left luggage behind, but Sam hadn't. And his truck wasn't in the lot.

"Something was in the bathroom," Castiel said. "Shifter, ghost, werewolf, vampire."

"So four monsters?" Dean asked.

"I am uncertain."

"What does that mean?"

Cas replied, "It means that I can sense all four, but only traces from one individual. Do you think this is because of The Serum?"

"I don't know, but we need to figure it out," Dean replied more loudly than he intended.

Cas raised his voice to match Dean's. "Didn't Sam tell you where he was going? How can we work a case with him and Dodge without the appropriate information?"

"He said they'd be here!"

That's when the door came crashing in. Castiel saw a woman, gun at the ready, moments before she spoke.

"FBI! Show me your hands!" she yelled.

The angel grabbed his hunter and teleported back to the Impala.

"What the hell just happened?" Dean asked from behind the wheel.

"I believe the FBI is looking for Dodge," Cas remarked. 

Dean turned the key and drove off immediately. Whoever broke into the motel room didn't run back to her car to follow them, which the hunter took as a good sign.

"There was a strong smell of bleach in the bathroom," Cas added.

"Yeah, Cas, I noticed."

"I believe Sam tried to remove any evidence of the creature from the room," the angel said. 

"Cleaning up?"

"Yes. Perhaps one of the monsters followed them back to the motel, and they were forced to kill it." 

"We need to figure out where Sammy is," Dean said. "Gotta warn him that the FBI is busting down doors looking for his girlfriend."

* * *

Dodge waited with Sliver until he woke up.

"You got a poker face," Sliver said. "How am I doing?"

"The doctor's got something to try but no guarantees. I've got a question for you," she said. "Why did Crosby stick you with us?"

"I don't know. Maybe he wanted you to watch me die, so you could see that the EDA isn't killing people."

"We've got evidence that says otherwise," Sam said as he joined them. "Video footage of a group beating one of the victims before he was found dead."

"Not everybody keeps their word," Sliver replied sadly. "Can't blame them. It's hard to sit in the shadows, waiting to die. When one of us goes rogue, all the EDA can do is try to cover it up. Make the deaths look as human as possible."

"Crosby could've told us all this without kidnapping us or knocking us out," Dodge said.

"He doesn't trust outsiders," Sliver explained. "And he's not known for his kindness."

"We need to put the patient through an MRI," Natalie interrupted. "Sliver? Can you keep yourself still?"

"Not without a chemical restraint."

* * *

Marie received a call from one Stanley Cooper, the lab tech that handled the goopy sample from Dodge's bathroom.

"Stan?" she asked. "You found something?"

"This is some X-Files crap you sent me, Marie," Stan replied. "You got DNA that can't be categorized as human or animal. Preliminary tests, of course, but they're pretty damn confusing. Any idea what that sample is from?"

"No, it was bagged but not marked," Marie invented quickly. "Thanks for letting me know. If you find anything else, give me a call."

"Sure will, but don't hold your breath."

She hung up and stared at the composite sketches in front of her. She had asked a computer artist to put them together, and she wound up with eight facial images, all based on the two men she'd seen earlier that day. 

She could run them through facial recognition, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to know. And this wasn't something she could keep on the down-low, either. People would ask questions, the kind she couldn't invent a good enough lie about.

Then she received a text message:

> FROM: Dodge  
> MESSAGE: Sorry for not picking up. Got a minor concussion and laid up in the hospital. Doc's insisted on bed rest. Will call as soon as possible.

A concussion that prevented her from answering the phone? Did Dodge really expect her to believe that?

Her mind made up, Marie called in a long-overdue favor with Mac Greer, one of the IT forensics guys. He could run facial recognition labeled as a random test or something, which was as good as it gets for keeping stuff like that off the books. Then she made an official request for the GPS coordinates of Dodge's phone. 

Come hell or high water, she was going to figure out what her partner was wrapped up in.

* * *

Natalie, Dodge, and Sam stood in the veterinary MRI control room, waiting for the scan to complete.

"So, you do this a lot?" Dodge asked.

"Mostly treating hunters," Natalie replied. "I studied medicine before switching to veterinary work. I was raised as a witch. Guess you can say I was groomed for this."

There was a brief pause as she flipped through the images on the screen. Then she added, "From what I gathered, the others became incredibly violent, attacking people at random for hours or days before dying. You mentioned forensics from other bodies. Do you know what they died from? Clinically, I mean."

Sam replied, "Internal decapitation."

"That might explain this," Natalie said, highlighting a portion of one of the scans. "The top three cervical vertebra have an anomaly. Supernatural entities sometimes have hidden or transformative physiologies. It could be that the Purge's transition introduces a physical change like this that puts the individual at a high risk of internal decapitation."

"You lost me," Dodge said. 

"Basically, this is not normal anatomy. Sometimes abnormal anatomy can put people at risk for certain kinds of injuries. For example, someone with weak ankles might sprain a knee or hip while performing tasks that the average person performs without injury. This particular variation of the cervical vertebra raises the likelihood of a fatal injury resulting from trauma that would otherwise only result in minor neck pain."

"You're saying that this stuff makes them simultaneously violent and vulnerable," Dodge said. "More vulnerable than they've ever been in their entire lives."

"That's why they all died the same way and why they all appeared to be human," Sam said. "After death, I mean. The serum made them human... it basically cured them to death."

"We need to paralyze Sliver," Dodge said.

"What?" Sam asked.

"A temporary paralysis from the neck-down could prevent him from dying during the last part of the transition," Natalie said, agreeing with Dodge. "Doctors use this technique for people with uncontrollable movements when they need to do an MRI or medical procedure. The patient is awake, aware, but can't move, voluntarily or otherwise. That would certainly prevent cervical injuries." 

"So, let's do it," Dodge said.

"It's not something we can shoot him up with indefinitely," Natalie said. "We need to wait as long as possible, at least a few hours for me to get the right drugs. We wait until he becomes violent again, then we paralyze him."

"What about in the meantime?" Sam asked.

"You and your friend here will have to keep him still by holding him down or tranquilizing him."

Dodge nodded. "I'll be right back, I've got to make sure my partner doesn't come looking while we're here."

* * *

Sam and Dodge took turns holding Sliver down whenever he began to buck the restraints. For the most part, his outbursts were from pain and fear, though a few times the movements were involuntary. 

After about eight hours, vampire teeth descended and wouldn't retract. Werewolf claws appeared soon after that, but he remained docile and confused. Then his skin started to slough again, which made holding him down damn near impossible.

They were struggling to tranquilize him when someone barged into the room.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Sam turned and saw Agent Acevedo, dressed in a suit and absolutely furious.

Dodge asked, "Marie, what are you doing here?"

"You need to leave," Natalie added. "You have no right to be here."

"What are you doing to that man?" Marie demanded.

"We're trying to save his life," Sam replied. 

Sliver snarled. His eyes turned from fearful to vindictive, and he began to rip at his restraints, howling and hissing. 

"We have to do it now," Natalie said. "Put that away," she ordered when Marie drew her gun.

"Help us hold him still," Dodge said to Marie.

Marie obliged, but Sam could tell she wanted answers, especially when the skin started slipping off in her hands. Natalie administered the shot, and just a few seconds later, Sliver became still, though the vengeful look in his eyes remained. 

"What the hell?" Marie said as she pulled away from Sliver, hands covered in skin slough. "Dodge, what is going on?"

"I, uh, need to make a call," Sam said abruptly, sensing the two partners needed to speak. "I'll be at the truck."

With that, he left and tried to call Dean again. When that failed, he prayed to Castiel.

"Uh, Cas, it's Sam. I'm just praying because I can't call. I'm okay. So is Dodge, but we've run into her partner, and she just saw some stuff... it's not good. Anyway, I'm okay, and sorry for not thinking of this sooner. You guys should keep away as long as Acevedo is here."

* * *

Marie couldn't believe what she was hearing or seeing.

"You said you had a head injury," Marie said. 

"I do," Dodge replied. "His issues were more severe."

"You mean the fact that his skin is molting and he has claws and teeth like a carnival freak?" Marie asked.

"That's part of it. He's like the five victims in New Jersey."

"I've seen their bodies. They're nothing like this," Marie replied.

"Stay and watch. See for yourself. We think that paralyzing him will protect him from the injuries that killed the others."

"You're serious?"

"Yeah."

"I want you to tell me what's going on," she said. "I mean it, Dodge, no double speak or half truths."

"Fine. But you won't believe me."

"Try me."

"This guy's called Sliver. He was born a shapeshifter. That means he can transform into other people. That stuff on your hands? It's his skin. He sloughs it off when he shifts into someone else."

"Right, and the teeth and claws are him pretending to be a jackal?" Marie said sarcastically. 

"No, he's been trying to become human. The treatment he took is doing this to him. The muscle spasms, the rage, the teeth, the claws."

"That's the opposite of becoming human."

"No kidding."

Marie bit her lip, but she couldn't hold back. "Dodge, if this guy had the ability to become anyone he wanted, why would he give it up?"

"Once he gets through this, he can explain that to you," she replied.

"What's 'this'? What is happening to him?"

Dodge said, "All our victims died of internal decapitation. We think it happens during the last phase of the treatment, uncontrollable movements. So we've paralyzed him from the neck down to protect him."

"You've finally lost it," Marie said. 

"Marie, I - "

"Don't, Dodge," Marie interrupted. "I just... just don't. Okay?"

* * *

"You sure he's okay?" Dean asked.

"He assured me of such," Cas replied. 

Dean was pissed that his brother took his sweet time replying, but at least he was all right.

"What should we do now?" the angel asked.

"Nothing. At least until Sammy calls asking for backup."

"I was referring to the fact that we are being followed," Cas said. 

"What?"

"That blue car has been parked at three of the last four lots," Cas explained. "And now I see it behind us."

"Maybe we should meet this guy," Dean said.

"What if it's the FBI?"

"Then you zap us outta there, got it?"

Dean pulled up to the next diner he saw. He took a seat near the window so he could watch the parking lot. 

Sure enough, the blue car Cas pointed out circled the block a few times before parking nearby. The driver, a woman, got out and came into the diner. 

She saw him looking right at her, and she smiled. Then she walked over to their table.

"Can I join you fellas?" she asked brightly. 

"Werewolf," Cas whispered to Dean.

"Sure, just remember that I know what takes you out. Silver to the heart," Dean replied.

"No need for that," she said. "I'm Sharvari."

"Howdy, Sharvari. I'm Dean, and this is Cas. Why aren't we shooting you dead right now?" 

"I was looking for the tall guy and the woman, but kept running into you two. You know them. I can smell it. So I figured I could give you two a message."

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"Six-one two-one Garden Square, Hemlock, New Jersey," she replied. 

"What's there?" 

"Proof that there were more than five," Sharvari replied.

"Five what?" Castiel asked.

"Victims. Of the Purge."

"Yeah, we heard all about that sob story. Monsters wanting to be human and dying for it. Why should we believe it?" Dean asked.

"Because it's true," she replied. "And because the EDA is for monsters who just want to live. We've got rules: no killing, no maiming, no turning people, and no media attention. The Purge has ruined us, after nearly four years of safety. Hunters don't listen, but I convinced some folks to let me at least try. You do know the tall hunter and the woman, don't you?"

"Yeah, we know them," Dean said. "We don't know you."

Sharvari smiled. She said, "Six-one, two-one Garden Square, Hemlock, New Jersey. Tell the tall hunter and the woman it's from Crosby." 

"Who the hell is Crosby?" Dean asked.

"I'll be going now. Don't follow me."

She stood up and left. Dean wanted to follow, but Castiel held him back.

"You're just gonna let her go?" Dean demanded.

"She might've just given us the address where Sam and Dodge are. What's more important? Knowing your brother is safe or following a random werewolf?"

"Fine, but if I see that bitch again, she's not just gonna walk away from me."


	5. Lost to Wait

No, he wouldn't let it come to that. He'd figure out something to protect Dodged from his stupidity. Right now, the best plan was to convince Marie that there was no way to handle this with the FBI playbook or through official channels. She might not like the circumstances, but if she understood what was going on, at least she would know that her partner hadn't gone off the deep end.

That meant waiting outside and hoping for the best wasn't an option.

Sam returned to the treatment room to find Natalie monitoring Sliver alone. His appearance was much better, as his skin was now solid and his claws and fangs had receded, making him seemed so very human.

As for Dodge and Marie were, they were having a very loud argument in the other room.

"You're so far off the reservation, you can't even see that you're doing!" Marie shouted.

"I follow the _evidence_! Wherever it leads!" Dodge retorted.

"That doesn't explain why you shut me out and lied to me!"

"Because you wouldn't've believed - "

Marie interrupted, "We are _not_ the X-Files, Dodge!"

"Fine. See this one through, and then you file the report," Dodge said. "You tell me how to handle it. You take the reins."

The quiet that followed was unsettling, and Sam felt the need to fill the silence.

"How's he doing?" he asked Natalie.

"Stable," she replied.

As if speaking the word jinxed it, the lights and electronics began to flicker. A chill spread throughout the room.

"Dodge!" Sam yelled. "Dodge, get in here!"

Dodge came racing in with Marie on her heels, and both women stumbled when the icy temperature hit them full force. Marie's mouth dropped open in surprise when she could see her breath.

"No, no, no..." Sam mumbled.

"What's happening?" Marie asked. 

Sam already knew the answer, but he couldn't articulate a reply. If they wanted to save Sliver, they'd need to do something - anything - right now, before it was too late. But what could they do? Their theory had been completely wrong.

Despite his paralysis, Sliver's eyes were wide with panic, and Sam could only assume he had realized what was happening, too. 

"We need salt," Sam blurted. "Surround him with salt, and - "

_POP-CRACK!_

The sound echoed throughout the room, and though there was no visible sign, it was clear that it emanated from Sliver's frozen body. All eyes fell on him. His fear remained painted on his face, but his pupils dilated fully as the last breath of air left his body.

For a few moments, there was nothing but silence. Then Natalie approached Sliver and put checked his neck for a pulse.

"He's gone," she announced.

"What just happened?" Dodge asked.

"I can run tests," Natalie replied. "But my guess? He died of internal decapitation."

"How's that possible?" Marie asked. "He couldn't even move. Nobody touched him. Do you expect us to believe his neck broke itself?"

"I expect you to believe your own eyes," Natalie responded. "As you said, no one was near him. He couldn't move."

"Then how did it happen?" Marie persisted.

"A death echo," Sam said. "Some spirits become trapped and relive their deaths over and over again. They don't usually possess people, but - "

"Stop, stop!" Marie interrupted. "Spirits? You mean ghosts?"

"Flickering lights, a sharp drop in temperature," Dodge stated. "All signs of a haunting."

"You're out of your minds," Marie said. "I need some air."

She stormed out of the room, and before Sam could follow her, Dodge signaled him to stop. 

"Doctor Young, could you run those tests?" Dodge asked. "Marie might not want to believe any of this, but she'll accept evidence when she sees it."

"I don't want to be involved in an investigation," Natalie replied. "I have enough trouble as it is."

"I'll talk to her," Dodge said. "Do my best to keep your name out of it."

Natalie nodded curtly before leaving for the other room. 

"Dodge, I'm sorry, this is all my fault," Sam began. "I should've backed off when - "

"I'm a big girl, Sam," Dodge interrupted. "If I wanted you gone, you would've been gone. Okay? So, tell me about this death echo thing. I thought spirits like that were trapped in an endless loop, not violent."

"Yeah, usually they are," Sam said. "But this one acted more like a death omen spirit. They appear as warnings, often inflicting injuries and trauma as messages. That would explain why he didn't show any signs of possession."

"So, a death omen spirit winds up killing this guy instead of warning him?" Dodge asked. "That doesn't make any sense, Sam."

"Well, neither does a shifter having vampire fangs and werewolf claws," Sam pointed out. "Whoever made The Serum is messing with the supernatural, and they don't care about the rules. Maybe that's the point."

"That still leaves us with a lot of unexplainable deaths," Dodge said. "It's not like the FBI will just forget about this case, even if this is the last body. Which something tells me... this isn't."

* * *

Castiel and Dean arrived at six-one two-one Garden Square in Hemlock, New Jersey. The hunter expected an abandoned building, but instead they found a warehouse with state-of-the-art security.

"Here goes nothing," Dean said as he got out of the car.

"I can get us inside," Cas offered. "It's not warded."

"No, not unless we have to."

They walked up to the front door, and to their surprise, the gate unlocked automatically. 

"Welcome to the warehouse," a computerized voice said from the side panel.

The door unlocked itself as they approached as well, allowing them entry without so much as a 'hello.' 

The main floor was a large, open space, well-lit and air-conditioned. There was nothing but shelving units that were filled with simple wooden coffins.

"I don't like this," Dean muttered.

"They're all empty," Cas said. "But, I can sense something. From below."

"Fantastic," he remarked.

Cas went a wall and grabbed something, revealing a door that Dean hadn't seen moments ago.

"What the hell?"

"It was warded from human sight," Cas explained. 

It led to a stairwell that seemed to go down forever. They decided to check out the first basement level. It was laid out just as the main floor, an enormous, empty room with shelving filled with coffins. The only difference was that this floor was chilled to near-freezing. 

"Empty?" Dean asked.

Castiel shook his head, no.

"They're all full?" Dean prompted. 

"Yes, about two hundred and fifty," the angel replied. "From the smell, they are like the bodies in the morgue. 

"How many floors do you think this place has?" Dean asked. "Ten? Twenty?"

"At least."

"So, if they're all filled like this one, that's..."

"Thousands dead," Cas replied. "This is much bigger than we thought it was."


End file.
